Connaught Village has unveiled the full programme for Village in Green – returning from 4 July – 31 August with its biggest summer season yet.
Highlights include the public opening of Cambridge Square for a one-day garden party on 4 July inviting visitors to roll out a picnic rug for a relaxed afternoon of live music, family-friendly activities, pop-up treats including free ice cream, and the chance to meet Paddington™, as he makes special appearances throughout the event.*
Beyond the opening day, the season runs to the end of August. At its heart is Bonsai Treehouses, a major new pop-up exhibition by the Museum of Architecture in Oxford Square. A playful and immersive experience for families and design lovers, the exhibition blends architecture with the natural world and will reveal miniature treehouses by leading architects, landscape architects and engineers, nestled within a curated collection of living Bonsai. Each piece responds to the theme Together, exploring how architecture can exist in dialogue with the living form of a tree.
Alongside the installation, visitors can get hands-on designing their own miniature treehouses and discovering the craft behind bonsai through a series of workshops. Bonsai-inspired window displays will extend the exhibition beyond Oxford Square, creating a trail to explore through the Village’s leafy streets. Exhibition tickets are on sale now at museumofarchitecture.org, with workshop tickets coming soon.
Event programme, 4th July:
All day garden party in Cambridge Square (12pm-4pm) – live music, pop-up food and drink including free ice cream and family friendly entertainment. Paddington™ will be making special personal appearances at intervals throughout the day with opportunities to take photos.
Live music performances in Cambridge Square.
Bonsai art workshop with Shelley The Artist (1pm-3pm) – drop-in sessions inviting children to create their own bonsai-inspired artworks
Book your free entry now via Eventbrite. Early booking is recommended to guarantee admission.
Visitors can also enjoy seasonal offers, experiences and botanical inspired food and drink throughout the summer across the Village’s cafes, restaurants and independent boutiques, including:
Sowvital, 11 Porchester Place – Complimentary hand cream with any Bonsai Treehouses ticket purchase – simply present your ticket at the till (no minimum spend required). **
Buchanan’s Cheesemonger, 7 Porchester Place – 10% off tastings for Bonsai Treehouses ticket holders (excluding wine and accessories). Valid 4 July–31 August.**
PM Flowers, 53 Connaught Street – 10% off ready-made bouquets for Bonsai Treehouses ticket holders.**
The Stablehand, 4 Bathurst Street – Village in Green Lunch & Drinks Duo (£29.95pp), a seasonal sharing menu with drinks. Available Monday–Saturday, 12–5pm, from 4 July to 31 August.
Bridal Rogue Gallery Boutique, 39 Connaught Street – 10% off bridal collections inspired by nature using code GREEN10BRG.
James Parker, Senior Asset Manager at the Church Commissioners for England, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Paddington™ to Connaught Village as part of our opening weekend celebrations. His visit brings a joyful note to what is shaping up to be our most exciting Village in Green yet – a summer long programme designed to bring together creativity, nature and community.”
Connaught Village is inviting visitors to celebrate urban nature all summer long, with design, botanical creativity, family activity and neighbourhood discovery woven through the programme.
For more information on what is going on in Connaught Village this summer, visit www.connaught-village.co.uk or follow @connaughtvillage on Instagram.
